This UCLA Symposium will address Molecular Neurobiology with particular emphasis on the role of oncogenes and growth factors in neurobiology. Breakthroughs in such diverse disciplines as molecular oncology, retrovirology, invertebrate genetics, transcriptional regulation and developmental biology have led, by a process of cross-fertilization, to a better understanding of some molecular mechanisms that underlie neuronal cell function. For instance, gene regulation has long been recognized as a critical aspect of neurodevelopment and neurophysiology; however, availability of oncogene and transcription factor probes and technology has only recently facilitated a direct analysis of specific gene expression in the nervous system. Additionally, oncogene products have yield vital insights into signaling pathways and have also been used in retrovirus vectors and transgenic mice to study neurodevelopment. The commonality of these approaches is application of modern molecular biology technology to the neurosciences. Such techniques are interdisciplinary and they do not recognize phylogenetic boundaries. Therefore, they unite, for example, Drosophila genetics, Aplysia behavior, electrophysiology, transgeneic mice and DNA-protein interactions in vertebrates. The goal of this meeting is to bring together scientists form these different areas to promote interactions that can help to define the molecular biological approaches to understanding the physiology of the nervous system.